Wisconsin exports increase in first half of 2017

Worldwide exports of products from Wisconsin businesses increased over 8-percent during the first half of 2017 compared to the same period last year.

That’s according to state economic and agriculture officials who analyzed data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Governor Scott Walker’s office reports Wisconsin businesses exported $11.2 billion in goods and services worldwide between January and July of this year. Agricultural exports from the state rose by 8.8 percent, with products shipped to 134 countries.

State officials say the overall export growth was spurred by significant increases in shipments to Mexico and China. Nationally, U.S. exports over the first half of the year increased 6.7 percent, with 35 states seeing a rise in exports.